The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records only until the student reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students." If an eligible student wishes to waive his/her rights to privacy and release certain education record information, the eligible student must sign a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Student Release Form. This is the form a student signs waiving his/her rights under this act and authorizes NYIT to discuss and/or disclose specified educational records to a particular person or persons. Make a copy of this form for your records before mailing the original to NYIT, Department of Financial Aid, P.O. Box 8000, Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, NY 11568-8000.

For more information about student privacy and FERPA, click here. For information about FERPA for parents, click here.